Chapter <b>122 </b>
Charlotte lowered her gaze<b>. </b>
<b>Sean </b>was holding her hand, fingers tightly interlocked with hers<b>. </b><b>His </b>voice was cool andced with sarcasm.
“A date? You think Lottie would give a second look to trash like him after being with me?”
It <b>was </b>crude but not wrong.
Charlotte gave a soft smile and leaned into him sweetly<b>, </b>like the perfect doting girlfriend.
“Exactly. Now that I’ve got Sean<b>, </b>there’s no room left in my heart for trash from the past. I mean, we all had our dumb ‘puppy love‘ phase with nobodies, right?”
Zac’s smile froze. His expression darkened.
<b>“</b>Nobodies? That’s how she <b>sees </b>me now?” <b>he </b>wondered.
His hands clenched into fists at his sides, knuckles white. He fought hard to keep his anger and humiliation from spilling over.
Across from them, a flicker of jealousy shed in Vivian’s <b>eyes</b><b>. </b>She bit her lip and, inwardly<b>, </b>cursed Charlotte a hundred times over.
Just then, Mia chimed in, tone <b>sweet </b>on the surface but full <b>of </b>venom underneath.
“<b>Miss </b>Yeager, this is why people say the Yeager familycks ss. I mean, Zac? Really? He’s yesterday’s trash. Lottie’s already over it and you’re still chasing it? That’s just sad.”
Zac finally lost it.
<b>“</b>Who the hell are <b>you </b>calling trash?”
Mandy’s face flushed red. She looked like she was about <b>to </b>fight back, <b>but </b><b>caught </b>sight <b>of </b>Ian standing behind Mia and stopped cold. She wasn’t about <b>to </b>pick a fight with the Quinton family.
“It’s you I’m talking about.” Mia <b>crossed </b>her arms, her tone biting <b>as </b>she <b>gave </b>Zac a long, withering look.
<b>“</b><b>So </b><b>you’re </b>Zac <b>Gibson</b>, huh? Dating you is like having a criminal <b>record</b>. You stick around like a stain. Thank God Charlotte woke up and dumped you when she did. <b>Honestly</b><b>, </b>if she hadn’t, I would’ve held a knife <b>to </b>her throat and made her.<b>” </b>
<b>Her </b><b>voice </b>turned mocking.
“And <b>didn’t </b>you run off with your little <b>‘</b>first <b>love</b><b>‘ </b>or whatever? Weather’s <b>great </b>today. Why didn’t <b>you </b>bring her <b>out </b>for a walk <b>too</b><b>?</b>”
<b>Zac </b>was practically fuming<b>, </b><b>his </b>lungs about to explode from the pressure<b>. </b>
<b>Just </b><b>as </b>it looked like he was going to lose it and hurl insults back, Vivian quickly grabbed his arm.
“Alright<b>, </b>alright<b>, </b>let’s not fight<b>,</b><b>” </b>she <b>cut </b><b>in</b>, <b>all </b><b>flustered </b>innocence<b>. </b>“This whole thing’s just a misunderstanding. me <b>me</b><b>, </b>okay? <b>I </b>didn’t know Zac and <b>Miss </b><b>Riley </b>used to be <b>a </b>thing.”
Vivian bit her lip delicately<b>, </b>her <b>eyes </b>ssy with tears <b>as </b>she looked up at Sean <b>with </b>a pitiful expression.
“<b>Sean</b><b>, </b>I really didn’t know Zac <b>was </b>Charlotte’s <b>ex</b><b>. </b>I thought… <b>I </b>thought he was just Mandy’s friend. You’re not mad at me, are <b>you</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
Sean opened his mouth, but Charlotte beat him <b>to </b>it. <b>Her </b><b>voice </b>was <b>syrupy </b><b>sweet</b><b>, </b>mimicking Vivian’s tone to perfection..
“Oh, it was just an honest mistake, right? Why would I ever me you? And Sean <b>wouldn’t </b>either.”
Sean wasn’t sure where Charlotte was going with this<b>, </b>but if she <b>said </b><b>it</b><b>, </b>he would <b>go </b>along.
<b>“</b>If Lottie doesn’t me you, then I don’t either<b>,</b><b>” </b>he said coldly.
<b>Vivian’s </b>smile taltered. She blinked, trying to make sense of Charlotte’s sudden switch <b>in </b>tone. But Charlotte only shed her a radiant smile–so sweet it sent chills down Vivian’s spine.
<b>“</b>What the hell is she ying <b>at</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>Vivian thought uneasily.
“Trying to gross the out with your little performance? Alright let’s see who ends up regretting it more,” Charlotte smirked to herself.
At that moment, Jordan, <b>who’d </b>been silently watching from the sidelines, finally spoke.
<b>“</b>Alright<b>, </b>enough drama. <b>Let’s </b>eat something and take a <b>break </b>You’ll need your strength for the bike.”
With that, the <b>crowd </b>finally dispersed. Everyone got to work setting up the pic–unfolding chairs <b>and </b>tables,ying out tablecloths, unpacking drinks and food, lining <b>up </b>the <b>cookware</b>.
<b>Grills </b>were <b>lit</b>, pots were <b>prepped</b>, and soon the campsite was buzzing. Some started barbecuing, others prepped ingredients. It was busy, loud, and finally normal. Charlotte and Mia were both fans of grilled food, so they stuck together by the barbecue.
Mia leaned in, whispering, “So why don’t you just tell him to leave?”
The him was obviously Zac Gibson.
Charlotte kept calmly brushing marinade onto <b>a </b>skewer.
<b>“</b>Tried. He just keepsing back. I’ve done it more than once. It’s pointless<b>.</b>”
<b>+25 </b>Bonus